


"You" and "Me"

by MysticAssassin



Series: Natsume Week 2019 [5]
Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: Character Analysis, Exorcists, Gen, Mild Angst, Natsume Takashi Protection Squad, Natsume has doubts, Tumblr: Natsume Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-09
Updated: 2019-07-09
Packaged: 2020-06-24 23:58:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19734274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MysticAssassin/pseuds/MysticAssassin
Summary: Natori and Matoba have something in common with Natsume. They see the same scenery, but maybe that’s where it ends...Day 5 - Personality / Identity(These will be a series of drabbles that follow along the lives of everyone that has touched Natsume's life in some way.)





	"You" and "Me"

Natsume left school with his friends following close beside him.

Nishimura rambled on about a food stall he had happened upon on a whim of taking a different route one day. He swore it had never been there before. And after trying the taiyaki that he claimed “melted in your mouth,” he wanted his friends to experience it too.

Everyone seemed up to it. Natsume agreed, but felt rather contented in simply listening to the conversation around him. Even still, it was Taki who noticed the man in the distance first. Maybe because she held Nyanko in her arms who also grew wary of the figure.

Her sudden stop to stare drew the group’s attention, and they all looked to see what had caught her eye.

Natsume frowned when he saw who it was.

“Hmm? Does anyone know that man? Why’s he staring over here like that?” Nishimura took a subtle step in front of Taki and Natsume who had been standing side by side.

“Ah, I’ll go see what he wants.” Natsume made to step in the direction and found both Kitamoto and Tanuma holding him back.

“Do you know him?” Kitamoto asked, his gaze still lingering on the man. 

“...Yes, I do. I guess we were supposed to meet, and I forgot.”

A few brief seconds passed before Kitamoto released his hold. Tanuma didn’t.

“We can wait until you’re finished then.” Nishimura’s voice was as guarded as his stance, now more shifted in front of Natsume.

“It’s okay. You can go ahead. I’ll be fine.” He tried to reassure his friends, but all they did was trade glances, undecided on what to do.

Nyanko squirmed in Taki’s grasp, and she passed him off to Natsume. 

“We’ll see you tomorrow then, Natsume.” She nudged Tanuma slightly not to draw the other’s attention to the action. Tanuma sighed.

“You’ll be okay on your own, Natsume? We can wait if you want.”

Natsume smiled at his friend, and shook his head. “I’m fine.” He reassured, and Tanuma finally let him go.

“Then, we’ll see you.” 

Natsume nodded as his friends all reluctantly left. Sparing glances behind them from time to time until they were out of view.

Natsume turned back to the man and his smile dropped to a frown immediately. He made his way over to the suit wearing exorcist all the same.

“You shouldn’t have come to my school, Matoba-san.”

“If I tried to send a formal invite, I’m certain you wouldn’t simply _drop by._ ”

“Are you surprised?”

Matoba waved his hand in the air as if physically waving away the issue. “I wanted to see you, Natsume. Is that wrong?”

“Why?”

Matoba laughed a hollow laugh. “Is this how you treat Shuuichi as well? Or is he _special_?”

Natsume remained silent.

“Why don’t we go somewhere and talk?”

Natsume quickly came up with an excuse to why he couldn’t. “I have to get home.”

“It won’t take long. We should talk now. It would save me the trip of showing up to your house, or at your school again. Though, your guardians and friends all seem like lovely people. Do you think they would mind?”

Natsume grit his teeth, and tightened his arms, squeezing his cat bodyguard more firmly into his chest. Nyanko didn’t make a sound. His eyes only narrowed at the exorcist before them.

In the end, Natsume ended up following Matoba to a small tea shop, and the two were shown to a secluded table. A tea shop worker appeared soon after and placed teacups of steaming liquid in front of them. 

“Why don’t we get straight into it?” Natsume remained silent. “It’s dangerous to wander around without someone to look out for you. It would be a shame if something were to happen.”

“Are you threatening me, Matoba-san?”

“I’m only concerned about your future. It would be a shame to have your _talents_ go to waste. And, you have to do something after graduation after all.”

“I have no interest in becoming an Exorcist. Or working for the Matoba clan.”

“I wonder if you would change your mind if the invitation came from Shuuichi.”

“Why do you keep bringing Natori-san into this?”

Matoba tilted his head, running the tip of his finger around the rim of his mug. “Well, he is an exorcist after all.”

“Yes, but Natori-san wouldn’t ask me to join, or threaten me to do so.”

“Oh~ You seem to trust him well enough. Maybe his tactics are quite efficient after all.”

Natsume was a bit taken aback.

Nyanko heckled in Natsume’s grip. “Why don’t you stop wasting time and go. You’ve already asked what you wanted, unless there’s something more.” His words caught both of their attention. 

“What a temperamental kitty.” Matoba spoke mockingly, and Nyanko all but hissed. “But he’s right after all. I am quite a busy man, but I’ll make time for you, Natsume. Call me if you change your mind.”

He got up from the table. Nyanko’s gaze trailed after him until he was out the door. Natsume didn’t look up from the table.

When Natsume and Nyanko left the tea shop, Natsume was quiet- lost in thought. Nyanko had almost fallen asleep before the boy had finally spoken.

“Do you think he’s right, Sensei? About Natori-san.”

The very thought of it made his heart clench. A sick feeling washed over him.

“It’s hard to tell what that shady Exorcist is always thinking.” Natsume frowned, and his gaze drifted further away. “You trusted him enough to tell him about the Book of Friends. I hope you don’t go blabbering about my property to just any old character.”

“I-” A heavy sigh escaped Natsume as he went around and around on Matoba’s words. He knew that Natori had indeed asked him to be an exorcist before. But that usually felt like another lifetime ago. Before they truly got to know one another. Before they got so close. Natori was special to him, and he didn’t want to lose that. Not only could they both share the same scenery- because people like Matoba could too- but Natori had become different because they shared a bond. To Natsume, he was now as irreplaceable in his life as his friends- both humans and yokai, and the Fujiwaras. 

“I don’t know what to think.” The only thing he _could_ think about was Matoba insinuating that Natori was only getting close to him to use him.

“Just ask him. You humans make everything so complicated. Oww. Brat!”

Natsume huffed after hitting Nyanko over the head. _What would Nyanko know anyway?_ Were the words now circulating in his head.

“Natsume!”

The boy nearly jumped out of his skin as he heard his name called. When he turned, he saw Natori jogging toward him. A small smile on his face.

Natsume tensed, wanting to run. Wanting to avoid whatever he feared would come next, because the only thing he could think about was _Did Natori also track him down to find him the way Matoba did? Did he seek him out because he wanted something?_

“Natori-san.” Natsume greeted, holding Nyanko even tighter. The cat looked between the two of them, his gaze observant.

“I didn’t expect to see you today.” _Was that actually true?_ “Did you just come from school?”

He nodded. “I was heading home.”

“Hmm, well that’s good. Don’t get into trouble and make your family worry.” Natori reached out to rest his hand on Natsume’s hair. The boy flinched at the action, his foot moving back involuntarily to get out of the way. He stopped himself at the last moment, but Natori seemed to notice. 

“Is something wrong, Natsume?” He eyed Nyanko, and spoke teasingly. “Did the pig-cat do something?” 

“Don’t bring me into this, you shady human!” Nyanko fussed, shaking his stumpy limbs in any direction he could. Natori laughed at the sight.

“...What are you doing here, Natori-san?”

The exorcist-actor’s laugh trickled to a stop. “Oh, I had a shoot today. But I’m happy I ran into you.”

“Really?” Natsume wanted to believe it.

Before anyone could say much else, another voice rang out in the distance. “Natori! There you are! We need you back on set.” A man in a barret, a towel around his neck, stopped short when he found his target and promptly keeled over to catch his breath.

“Oops. Seems they’ve found me. I guess I have to- huh? What’s wrong, Natsume? Do you not feel well?” Natori quickly switched to concern when he saw the look on Natsume’s face. So many emotions seemed to well into the boy that he didn’t know what to do with them. He felt like he would burst. His lips trembled as he looked as if he’d been struck.

“N-Natori-san! Please stop running away from your work and causing others trouble.” 

His reprimand was the only way he felt like he could contain himself over all the feelings of relief, and guilt, and sadness, and- and everything else.

The older man chuckled again. “Alright. Because Natsume-kun asked so seriously, I’ll do my best.” A small genuine smile lingered on Natori’s face. When he reached to touch Natsume’s hair once more, the boy didn’t retreat. 

Natori soon left as it looked like the person who had come to find him would drag him back to their set willing or not. 

“Sensei.” Nyanko looked up at him, as Natsume stood and watched the two disappear.

“I want to trust him.”

**Author's Note:**

> Had to reupload because I couldn't edit the other for some reason, and it wasn't showing up in the series.


End file.
